'Business as usual' despite strike by hospital security guards

Middlemore Hospital in Auckland today said it was business as usual despite a 24-hour strike by some of its security guards.

The striking guards, who are member of the Service and Food Workers Union, are seeking a 5 per cent pay increase for this year.

They gave notice they would be picketing outside the hospital from 7am.

The Manukau Counties District Health Board has offered 2.5 per cent, plus a further 2.5 per cent in November for a two-year term.

Security manager Mick Hubbard said the industrial action was not causing a major problem for the hospital, because the vacated positions were being covered by non-union members.

"It's business as usual," he said.

"I wouldn't like to discuss the numbers of security we have here, but in broad teams a large percentage are non-union workers."

The unionised guards have taken action twice before over the pay claim, striking for an hour.

Union spokeswoman Jill Ovens said what they were seeking was a "very modest" increase.

She said the guards were paid less in real terms today than 10 years ago, because they lost overtime rates in the 1990s and had recently had their overtime hours cut.

- NZPA